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July 2014

Poland's former Deputy Prime Minister, Minister of Finance and former Chairman of the National Bank of Poland, Professor Leszek Balcerowicz is one of the currently renowned Poles. He went down in history as the father of economic reforms of the late 1980s, which took Poland out of the bankrupt socialist market system into a democratic society. His opinion and recommendations are still listened to in Poland, Europe and the world. Balcerowicz is a regular participant in many international forums, has an active civic position, does not hide his views on the situation in Ukraine, which he shared in an exclusive interview with Ukrinform.

Dragon Oil oil and gas company (UAE, UK), conducting major work in the Turkmen section of the Caspian Sea, has increased export of raw materials to up 5.9 million barrels in the first half of 2014 versus 5.7 million barrels a year earlier, the company's report said.

The talks on the draft of the new Treaty on extended partnership and cooperation between Kazakhstan and the European Union may be finished in autumn 2014, as reported by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Kazakhstan

There is growing international pressure on Moscow to use its influence on pro-Russian separatists following the shooting down of flight MH17 in eastern Ukraine. A reduction of tension in Ukraine is being urged.

Russia insists that "the fundamental legal documents for the project" South Stream "are concluded between Russia and countries participating in bilateral intergovernmental agreements," said Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov said in an interview with the Bulgarian news agency "Focus".

“A land without people for a people without land.” At the turn of the 20th century, that slogan promoted Jewish migration to Palestine. It could be recycled today, justifying a Chinese takeover of Siberia. Of course, Russia's Asian hinterland isn't really empty (and neither was Palestine). But Siberia is as resource-rich and people-poor as China is the opposite. The weight of that logic scares the Kremlin.

The EU summit, which ended during the night of 16 to 17 July, failed to choose the next EU foreign affairs chief to replace Catherine Ashton, and the next European Council President, to succeed Herman Van Rompuy. Leaders agreed to meet again on 30 August.

On 22-24 May an International Economic Forum was held in St.Petersburg; the 21st World Petroleum Congress was organised in Moscow on 15-19 June. The analysis of the two events reveals the attitude of Western world toward sanctions against Russian Federation.

If the world is to solve the climate-change crisis, we will need a new approach. Currently, the major powers view climate change as a negotiation over who will reduce their CO2 emissions (mainly from the use of coal, oil, and gas). Each agrees to small “contributions” of emission reduction, trying to nudge the other countries to do more. The United States, for example, will “concede” a little bit of CO2 reduction if China will do the same.

Ukraine has a real option to refuse of Russian gas. For this it is enough only to fulfill the program of nuclear energy development. Kyiv possesses natural resources for this purpose. The matter is about the sources of financing and about political will.

Some media reported that Kiev secretly started preparing fighting in the Crimea. In a possible conflict can be dragged NATO forces, "Right sector" and Crimean Tatars. The main base for operations is considered adjacent to the Crimea, Kherson region. Simultaneously, the concentration of troops and weapons, which the Ukrainian media portrayed as a temporary strengthening of the border with the peninsula. The Russian Defense Ministry said that the purpose of Kiev unleash an armed conflict in the territory captured Crimea, which will be drawn in the local population and the Crimean Tatars.